Duryodhana while witnessing the strength of the Pāṇḍavas army supported by the might of Bhīmā weighed his own armies strength under the command of Bhīshma

and perceiving the mood of his preceptor Droṇāchārya, he could understand the inadequacy in his own troops and the perfection of strength on the Pāṇḍavas side to be victorious and internally this aggrieved him heavily.

Bhīshma seeing all this gave a roar like a lion and blew a mighty, reverberating blast on his conch-shell which was followed by a tumultuous beating of drums, blaring of horns and blasting of conch-shells as if indicative of the victory in order to cheer up Duryodhana.

Immediately upon hearing this Lord Krishna and Arjuna seated in their majestic chariot capable of conquering all the worlds; both seized their conch-shells and reverberated a sound that shook all the worlds.

Thereafter Bhīmā, Yudhisṭhīra, Nākula and Sahadeva and the rest of the mahā-rathas of the Pāṇḍava army blew their conch-shells

and the roar which was heard cleaved the hearts of Duryodhana and the army of the Kaurāvas and in their hearts they felt that the battle was already lost.

Thus did Sanjaya narrate to Dhritarāshtra whose only concern was for the success of his son Duryodhana and the Kaurāvas in the battle.

10 "Thus, boundless is our force with Bhīṣma to guard it; bounded, however, is the force of these with Bhīma to guard it.

11 "Therefore, at all the points of entrance (or egress of our battle-array), stationed in positions as assigned, do ye just guard Bhīṣma (from the enemy)". (115)

"That Bhīshma who is so great in the Kshatriya family and who is the most well-known of all the warriors, holds the authority of the Commander-in-Chief. Under his command is placed the entire army, arrayed just like a fortress, before which the entire universe compares small. Already a vast ocean, no one can consider it as transgressable the more so if it is helped by a (fabulous) sub-marine fire: or just as the destructive fire and stormy wind should combine, in that way our Commander-in-Chief, the son of the Ganges (is) unconquerable. Who can take a firm stand in war in front of such an army as ours, before which the Pāṇḍava army as assembled appears insignificant in comparison? With all this, Bhīmasena, who is strong, is the Commander of the Pāṇḍava army." Saying so much Duryodhana remained momentarily silent. Duryodhana then spoke again, "All ye army-men, keep your respective army completely ready. The armies, whosoever is in command, should be sub-divided and assigned the respective places on the battle-field with their commandants duly appointed. The respective armies should be drawn up and they should obey the orders of Bhīshma. Drona should also have his attention over all and should protect Bhīshma taking him to be myself, as he is the sole support of our army."

'Ayaneṣu ca sarveṣu yathābhāgamavasthitāḥ bhīṣmamevābhirakṣantu bhavantaḥ sarva eva hi'—All of you (warriors), stationed in your respective position on different fronts, should guard Bhīṣma on all sides.

By saying the above words, Duryodhana wants to please Bhīṣma, so that he may be partial to his army. Secondly, he gives instruction to the warriors of his army, to see that Śikhaṇḍī should not face Bhīṣma. If Śikhaṇḍī comes in front of Bhīṣma, the latter will not use his arms and weapons against him, because he was a woman in the previous birth. In that birth also, first he was a woman and later he changed into a man. So Bhīṣma, by regarding him as a woman, has promised not to fight with Śikhaṇḍī. Śikhaṇḍī, had taken birth by Lord Śiva's boon, to kill Bhīṣma. Therefore, if Bhīṣma is protected from Śikhaṇḍī, he will kill all other warriors of the army of Pāṇḍavas, and their victory is certain. Therefore, Duryodhana gives instruction to all the great chariot-warriors of his army, to guard Bhīṣma.

Link:—Finding Duryodhana discouraged by getting no hopeful response, from Droṇācārya, Bhīṣma in order to express his

*affection for him, cheers him up. This is expressed by Sañjaya, in the next verse.*

मग पुनरपि काय बोले । सकळ सैनिकांते म्हणितलें । आता दळभार आपुलाले । सरसे करा ॥ १२१॥

जिया जिया अक्षौहिणी । तिये तिये आरणी । वरगण कवणकवणी । महारथिया ॥ १२२॥

तेणे तिया आवरिजे । भीष्मातळीं राहिजे । द्रोणाते म्हणिजे । तुम्हीं सकळ ॥ १२३॥

हाचि एकु रक्षावा । मी तैसा हा देखावा । येणें दळभारु आघवा । साचु आमुचा॥ १२४॥

(1.121-122) फिर दुर्योधन ने सब सेनापतियों से कहा कि अब अपनी-अपनी सेना तैयार करो, जो अक्षौहिणियाँ जिसके अधीन है उसको उन्हें रणभूमि में लाना चाहिए, और जो जो महारथी है उनको अपनी अपनी सेनाएँ बाँट लेनी चाहिए।

(1.23) और उन्हें अपने अधीन रख भीष्म की आज्ञा में रहना चाहिए। फिर उसने द्रोण से कहा कि आप सब सेना की देखरेख रखिए

(1.124) और इस भीष्म की रक्षा कीजिए। इसे मेरे समान मानिए,

'अयनेषु च सर्वेषु...भवन्तः सर्व एव हि'—जिन-जिन मोर्चापर आपकी नियुक्ति कर दी गयी है, आप सभी योद्धालोग उन्हीं मोर्चापर दृढ़तासे स्थित रहते हुए सब तरफसे, सब प्रकारसे भीष्मजीकी रक्षा करें।

भीष्मजीकी सब ओरसे रक्षा करें—यह कहकर दुर्योधन भीष्मजीको भीतरसे अपने पक्षमें लाना चाहता है। ऐसा कहनेका दूसरा भाव यह है कि जब भीष्मजी युद्ध करें, तब किसी भी व्यूहद्वारसे शिखण्डी उनके सामने न आ जाय—इसका आपलोग खयाल रखें। अगर शिखण्डी उनके सामने आ जायगा, तो भीष्मजी उसपर शस्त्रास्त्र नहीं

और वह कभी निर्भय नहीं होता। परन्तु जिसके भीतर अपने धर्मका पालन है और भगवानका आश्रय है, वह कभी भयभीत नहीं होता। उसका बल सच्चा होता है। वह सदा निश्चिन्त और निर्भय रहता है। अतः अपना कल्याण चाहनेवाले साधकोंको अधर्म, अन्याय आदिका सर्वथा त्याग करके और एकमात्र भगवानका आश्रय लेकर भगवत्प्रीत्यर्थ अपने धर्मका अनुष्ठान करना चाहिये। भौतिक सम्पत्तिको महत्त्व देकर और संयोगजन्य सुखके प्रलोभनमें फँसकर कभी अधर्मका आश्रय नहीं लेना चाहिये; क्योंकि इन दोनोंसे मनुष्यका कभी हित नहीं होता, प्रत्युत अहित ही होता है।

चलायेंगे। कारण कि शिखण्डी पहले जन्ममें भी स्त्री था और इस जन्ममें भी पहले स्त्री था, पीछे पुरुष बना है। इसलिये भीष्मजी इसको स्त्री ही समझते हैं और उन्होंने शिखण्डीसे युद्ध न करनेकी प्रतिज्ञा कर रखी है। यह शिखण्डी शंकरके वरदानसे भीष्मजीको मारनेके लिये ही पैदा हुआ है। अतः जब शिखण्डीसे भीष्मजीकी रक्षा हो जायगी, तो फिर वे सबको मार देंगे, जिससे निश्चित ही हमारी विजय होगी। इस बातको लेकर दुर्योधन सभी महारथियोंसे भीष्मजीकी रक्षा करनेके लिये कह रहा है।

* एवमुक्तस्तु कृष्णेन कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः। अयुध्यमानं संग्रामे वरयामास केशवम् ॥ (महा, उद्योग ७। २१)

'श्रीकृष्णके ऐसा कहनेपर कुन्तीपुत्र धनंजयने संग्रामभूमिमें (अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंसे सुसज्जित एक अक्षीहिणी नारायणी सेनाको छोड़कर) युद्ध न करनेवाले निःशस्त्र उन भगवान् श्रीकृष्णको ही (अपना सहायक) चुना।'

सम्बन्ध—द्रोणाचार्यके द्वारा कुछ भी न बोलनेके कारण दुर्योधनका मानसिक उत्साह भंग हुआ देखकर उसके प्रति भीष्मजीके किये हुए स्नेह-सीहार्दकी बात संजय आगेके श्लोकमें प्रकट करते हैं।